


Foolish

by lazylyz



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, No Slow Burn Here, Prison Rescue, Resolved Sexual Tension, Shadowgast, a reason for essek to travel with the m9, happy fun ball adventure, permaheart au, the nsfw is just ch 3 if you want to skip it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2020-10-28 19:37:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20784017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lazylyz/pseuds/lazylyz
Summary: Essek finds himself imprisoned after the Mighty Nein disappear for several weeks. Not knowing what his fate will be, Essek waits for the inevitable to come.





	1. Prison Break

**Author's Note:**

> I just want more Essek, and I like the theory that he could be in some deep shit and gets thrown into prison.

Dark, dank, and entirely disheartening, that's what being thrown unceremoniously into the prison he was once free to come and go from, had been like.

Having been days since he last heard from the Mighty Nein, Essek had started getting accusations from several higher-ranking members of other Dens about their defecting, about the possibility they would have gone back to their Empire, that he had aided them.

No account of his own stood a chance. He was young, still in his first life. Eager to please higher-ups and willing to put in the time, but it was all for naught. Stripped of his flowing mantel and strong-armed down into the tiny cell, he awaited their judgment.

The first week had been bearable. Short on food and water, but it would at least be given. The second week was fucking miserable. The stench grew and so did the time between receiving any type of sustenance.

He wondered what could be delaying the Dens' trial. If someone had stood up in his defense it should have smoothed the process over, but with every passing day he held out less hope his name would be cleared without drastic means.

Essek let his mind wander. The quiet of the cell let him sort his thoughts, piece together some semblance of who could be pulling the strings from behind the scenes. There were only a handful who could sway the Bright Queen's mind with so little information. It would mean her closest and most trusted advisers were not as trusted as once thought.

A commotion outside pulled his attention away from that dark thought, a heavyweight sinking in his chest. He sat up almost too weak to do anything else and waited for the inevitable.

A crouched goblin with thieves' tools in hand pried open his door leading to red vibrant hair, pale blue skin, and a stern expression.

The familiar sounds to an overly boisterous group filled his once desolate cell.

"Hey, Essek! It's us, we've come to rescue you," Jester announced dancing her way into the tiny chamber. Nott skirted in behind her, teeth bared and eyes gleaming.

"Oh, you're all fucking crazy," Essek said with a rasp and a glint in his eyes. His lips pulled into half a smirk and he braced himself against the wall to push up off the grimy floor.

"Well, we did owe you some favors," Beau replied, standing aside to give way to the others in the group.

Caleb strode forward, only stopping once he was well past any personal boundaries, to help him up. His red hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, blue eyes meeting his own.

Essek didn't care about propriety. All decorum flew out the window the second his own put him in this damned cell. All he could think about at that moment was that the Mighty Nein came back for him.

Caleb came back for him.

Holding Caleb's gaze, Essek reached out with sure hands and pulled Caleb's face towards his, giving him a firm kiss. There were a few soft whistles from the group, and someone called Caleb's name teasingly, but Essek couldn't care less in this moment. When he pulled away, he could see the dark flush spreading across Caleb's cheeks, a pleasing color Essek thought.

"Let's get you out of here first, yeah?" Caleb offered with a firm hand on his elbow guiding him up.

Essek nodded, the back of his throat scratchy and dry from the lack of water, not able to do much else.

"You don't happen to have a waterskin or anything would you?" Essek asked looking between his rescuers.

"Here."

Beau stepped forward taking a waterskin from her belt and tossed it in Essek's direction. He fumbled for a moment before opening it and downing its contents. The relief was instant but made his stomach churn uncomfortably.

Caleb stayed close to his side. He dug around inside his bag before pulling out a jar of beads. Caleb offered him one saying, "They're beads of nourishment. One should help with the hunger for now."

Taking the offered bead, Essek's fingers brushed over Caleb's outstretched hand.

"Thank you," he said while popping it in his mouth. The gelatinous bead, lackluster in its flavor, dissolved on his tongue and left him feeling fuller than he had all week.

He addressed the group.

"So, are you here to tie up loose ends or to do something so foolish as to break me out?"

"The latter one most definitely," Jester said with a bright smile.

The others, Essek assumed, stood guard just outside the door. His suspicions were confirmed when they led him past his cell door. Two drow figures he didn't recognize stood guard. They checked the hall before motioning for the rest to follow.

"So how are we getting out of here?" Nott asked, attempting to keep her voice quiet, but her whispers resonated down the hall.

"You mean to tell me you came to break me out with no plan?" Essek couldn't keep the indignation from his tone. Flabbergasted they even attempted such a thing with so little preparation.

"Couldn't we just teleport away?" Nott asked, ignoring his outburst.

"If it was that easy to break out of here, then you wouldn't have needed to come get me," he quickly retorted.

"Well when you put it like that," Caduceus replied evenly.

"We can't teleport away inside the dungeon," Essek said, continuing his explanation. "as higher-level spells won't work down at this level. It'll have to be done outside or, at the very least, closer to the surface."

Loud shouts echoed down the hall in their direction, and Essek's heart clenched tight.

The others quickly took their places and hid. With a quick motion from Jester and Nott, they pulled him into a corner just as several higher-ranking guards rushed past, none the wiser that the group they were looking for was hidden just feet away.

"The city will be on high alert," Essek said after he was sure the guards would be out of earshot. "They'll know pretty quickly that I've escaped the dungeon itself."

"Why don't we just have Caleb make a circle?" Nott asked.

"I need space for that, and it won't work down here if it's as Essek said." Caleb nodded to Essek; his lips drew tight ruminating over what they could do, and Essek, for a brief moment, wished he could see him in action.

His eyes would be gleaming with determination. Hands set with practiced and calculated somatic movements. But that outcome would have to wait, as they could not risk fighting their way out of this dungeon.

"They'll put two and two together and search for you all," Essek said. "Known haunts and the like- they'll be watching your home." He pinched the bridge of his nose thinking over the procedure they were taught to follow in the event of a prison break. "The alleyways will be watched heavily as well."

"Our house is probably a bad idea then," the shorter of the drow said. Essek couldn't pick out the accent so he figured it was the half-orc who had a high aptitude for blending in.

"We need someplace else. Someplace that couldn't be connected to us easily," the other drow replied. Essek could tell from the baritone that this one was Caduceus.

"Oh, what about Maruo's? She deals with shady shit," Jester offered. "We could use her upstairs room."

"Is that out past the Gallimaufry?" Nott asked. "It takes a good few hours to get there."

"It could work even though it's far away. We'll look suspicious traveling as a large group that distance," Beau remarked. "I say you cast seeming on us, Caleb, and then we split."

Essek could tell by the set in Caleb's brow that he was thinking it over.

"Groups of two and three, yes," Caleb replied. "Try not to draw attention to yourselves."

"Instead, I could just teleport us once we're out of here. No sense in hoofing it halfway across the city to do it," Essek said, letting his complaint be known.

"Well we still need you to come with us, though," Jester replied. "We could use your help."

"My help? And breaking me out to teleport you all seems like more hassle than it's worth, no?"

"No, not teleporting," Nott replied.

Essek turned his nose down at the goblin. How this group ever got anything accomplished would continue to baffle Essek.

"You do realize I'm not the adventuring sort."

"I think it's more for your abilities with time and such," Fjord offered. "This is more sit in a study, and–"

"Ah, so just my talents then," Essek cut him off. "and not the good looks?"

Fjord sputtered and Caleb gave Essek a sidelong glance his hand raising to hide the smirk.

"Those don't hurt," Caleb replied in leu of Fjord's momentary lapse. "But you'll probably want to save your higher-level spells, just in case yeah? Don't worry, we'll get you out of the city."

The Mighty Nein led Essek through the winding halls once their plan was set.

Leaving the dungeon wasn't usually a blur for him, but this time his mind was sluggish and elsewhere, still not entirely recovered from his forced isolation and starvation. Instead, he found himself watching the back of the wizard he was following out, the sure set of his shoulders and determined gait leading the way.

They make it to the Shadowshire without catching the attention of the many guards patrolling the area, and Essek could tell the group was keyed up from dodging their likely captors.

"Caleb, quick! Cast your spell," Jester said, her hands wringing the edge of her cloak.

The group huddled together in a shadowy alcove near the familiar exit of the Shadowshire.

Caleb went through the hand motions with practiced ease while reciting the arcane structure of the spell. The group began to change before Essek's eyes.

A bugbear that towered over everyone took over the drow that was Caduceus. The other drow that was Fjord took the form of an elder drow man.

Essek turned to look at Beau and Jester but standing there were two drow girls. They could easily be mistaken as servants running errands for their masters. A small goblin woman, unrecognizable compared to Nott, stood in front of them.

He turned back to Caleb and found a refined male drow staring back at him. The drow's features held nothing of the man's he knew.

His own appearance must have changed as well since the group was looking him over with several smirks in Caleb's direction.

"As long as I don't speak, we'll be fine, yeah?" Caleb joked, pulling their attention away. He let his Zemnian accent bleed through stronger than normal.

It was jarring to hear an accent so foreign coming from his own race. Though, Essek couldn't help but smile at the thought of it.

"Let me do the talking," he said to Caleb before pointing between himself and Caleb and the rest of the group. "Twos and three, yes?" He asked them.

"Yeah, that works," Caduceus replied. The bugbear, having it appear as if he was helping guide the elder drow, placed a heavy hand on Fjord's shoulder.

"Now, we just make our way through the city while it's on high alert," Fjord said, making it seem like this was by far the worst thing they've encountered.

Essek doubted the stress of this situation would top any of their previous adventures.

"We'll go first," Beau said, grabbing Jester's hand and pushing Nott towards the stairs. She nodded over her shoulder. "See you there."

Fjord and Caduceus went next not too long after a few moments of waiting in the shadows. Essek and Caleb watched them make their way to the stairs unopposed.

Caleb caught Essek's eye once they disappeared out of sight.

"Shall we?" He said with a wave of his hand in the direction of the stairs at the opposite end of the Shadowshire.

"I'd have to know where we're going first, to be able to lead the way."

"Oh right, of course, never mind." Caleb skipped ahead with a determined step and Essek followed suit matching his pace with ease.

Above ground, Essek had been right; the city was on high alert. Guards in groups of two and three could be seen peeking down alleyways and stopping individuals that were deemed suspicious.

Getting out of the Firmaments and into the Gallimaufry was strenuous. He grabbed Caleb's elbow, steering him away from several determined guards marching in their direction.

"Down this way," he said, directing Caleb towards a section he knew would have been patrolled by this point. It cut across a portion of the Gallimaufry making it easy to get to the edge of the Corona District.

The guards' patrol significantly lessened this far out from the city center, so Caleb took the lead angling him towards several run-down shops. The Overcrow Apothecary stood sandwiched between a bar and an empty building.

Caleb ascended the exterior steps with a sure confidence opening the door to find everyone already there.

"Thanks, Maruo!" Jester shouted over her shoulder when Caleb and Essek entered. "Don't forget, we'll kill you if you tell anyone!"

A disgruntled noise left the tiny goblin while the group made their way upstairs.

"No one was followed, right?" Caleb quickly asked while pulling out familiar iridescent chalks and getting to work laying down the arcane sigils.

"No, though Beau did draw attention from several of the guards with her careless words," Nott sharply accused.

"Okay, excuse me. If you hadn't-"

Caduceus shushed her once the final lines of Caleb's circle came together.

"We'll have time for that later."

The familiar glow beckoned them to a destination unknown to Essek. He caught Caleb's gaze on him from his crouched position. He nodded in assurance while his friends all entered the circle with a rush, teleporting them away in quick succession.

Essek took a deep breath shoring himself for whatever lay on the other side. He would have to trust this group. Though, it wouldn't make much a difference since he already has.


	2. The Wizard's Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mighty Nein have teleported Essek to an unknown destination where they get him up to speed on what they've been doing and what they've learned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my head, the Mighty Nein are much more put together. In game they do things like that ending in ep82. I have to remind myself these people are idiots.  
Also, this is much longer than I planned.

The room was dark, and Essek could just see the outlines of a receiving teleportation circle etched on the floor. He was ready to give it a longer look but a door opened on the opposite end of the room, the light smarting his eyes.

A well-dressed goblin greeted the group with familiar ease and gave him a quick once over before leading them down a long winding stair into a quaint sitting room.

Everyone seemed comfortable taking a seat on the various pieces of furniture, but Essek could not calm his nerves. He cataloged his surroundings, having no way to discern what he just stepped into.

The rooms were magical and magically connected. The owner must be powerful in their own right, someone not to be trifled with, who was on friendly terms with a chaotic group such as the Mighty Nein.

"What happened, Essek?" Jester asked pulling his attention away from their surroundings.

She had already relaxed fully into an overstuffed couch as if there were no cares in the world and that they hadn't just broken into one of the better guarded dungeons. Nott hopped up beside her and they whispered a few words to each other.

"They said I had a contact in your house, the housekeeper," he answered leveling his sharp gaze on her. "That I was the one who authorized them to break into the document hold, stealing valuable information on the war effort and front lines."

The group shared concerned and knowing looks before all turning to the monk of the party.

"Well," Beau drew out clearly not ready to be singled out by her friends. "First off…"

Essek's heart clenched and he was sure his distress was evident. He took several steps towards her and she shifted her weight to her back leg.

"Tell me you've not betrayed me."

"No," Caleb said steadfastly with his palms out in a placating manner and stepping between them. "We are not giving the empire anything. It's like we told you before. We believe someone is working within the Dynasty against the Dynasty, the same goes for the Empire."

Beau put an arm on Caleb's and then stepped forward with a determined expression.

"I want to be honest with you but know this was for us to understand what's been happening in this world. We couldn't trust those around us."

She paused for a moment and her expression pinched. She looked like she didn't want to continue but took a deep breath and kept talking anyway.

"Dairon is with me. Generally, we work as archivists but there are those of us who go about seeking out corruption and the truth behind many situations. They found a connection between the Empire and the Dynasty and went looking for more solid evidence."

Essek scowled. If what she said was true, it would mean their mole was more of an external problem and not just a petty squabble between Dens.

"So, you're the one who broke in and stole the information? I thought you were all in the Lotusden?" He asked, watching for her reaction to the accusation.

"We were there. You took us, but Dairon- they were operating on a hunch and got too close, and I'm sorry that fell on you."

"We did come back to get you Essek," Jester piped up from her place on the couch. "That has to count for something!"

"I've been stripped of my title. Outcast from _my_ Den! And though I may still be consecuted, there is no way they would let me within the vicinity of the beacon. My materials, everything I've been working on, gone all in an instant because of…"

"There are bigger things at play here, Essek," Caleb reasoned stepping back in between the group and him. "Things that probably have been going on far longer than your years."

"I worked hard to get where I was. I came from nothing."

"And I have as well!" Caleb intently held Essek's gaze. "And I have sat in my fair share of prison cells too, but there are things that are out of your control. Surely you understand that!"

"Ooh, boyfriends first fight," Jester whispered to Nott beside her.

"Jester! Not now," Caleb said with a glare, silencing the tiefling.

Essek could feel all the frustration of the past few weeks escape. He dropped his shoulders, the bluster behind his accusations subsiding, and he looked around at his surroundings. "Where are we anyway?"

"At Yussa's," The half-orc replied from a chair in the corner wisely keeping his distance from the conversation for the moment. "In Nicodranas."

"Right." Essek rubbed at his eyes and plopped down in a vacant armchair. He looked over the Mighty Nein and shook his head. "And where the hell have you all been the past few weeks? I had told them I sent you to see what else you could find out about these creatures we seem to be having a problem with recently, but they didn't entirely believe me."

"The happy fun time ball!" Nott shouted.

"The Folding Halls of Halas, or rather the Archmage's bane," Caleb spoke over her.

Essek cocked his head in Caleb's direction, but it was the firbolg who explained things further.

"Yussa, the wizard whose tower this is, is holding for us this artifact we came across before we entered into Xhorhas the first time. When we first came across it, we didn't know what it was, and it's all fate really that we even came into possession of it and handed it over to a rightful keeper."

"And this folding realm is where you were."

"Yes," Fjord said finally deciding the accusations were done flying and the real matter was at hand. "Yussa has been mapping out portions of the interior and we had planned on meeting with him to get his advice on a few things relating to the Hand and Obann, but when we got here his assistant was frantic, saying he had been gone for more than three weeks."

"Time does strange things in there," Nott commented off-handedly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, what is only a couple of hours in there are days out here," Nott said with a firm nod.

"So back to the explanation," Caleb cut in. "We planned to go in after him, Yussa that is. Beau searched through his notes and found his mapping of the rooms."

"Which is totally related to the Laughing Hand, one of the rooms was labeled perma heart, and based on research we did in Zadash, that book said his heart was placed on an unknown plane never to be found, but it was here," Beau said crossing her arms and a smirk pulling at the corner of her lips.

"Or rather we could access it from here," Caleb clarified.

"Damn," Essek said. He was impressed they could turn their disappointment and frustration around so quickly. "Did you destroy it?"

"Not yet, it's a little more complicated than just stabbing it," A voice from the stairs called out, and as the figure descended into the room, he addressed Essek directly. "I am Yussa Errenis, and you are in Tidepeak Tower in Nicodranas. I assume they filled you in on that much at least."

Essek assessed Yussa. The elf was not at all what Essek had envisioned. He tracked him as he crossed the room and set down several scrolls before settling into an open chair. The Mighty Nein scrambled to look over the scrolls the aging elf had brought in, but Essek's attention was still drawn to Yussa.

"Now," Yussa continued as if the Nein wasn't making a ruckus in front of him. "I've been doing some research and I've drafted a few of the Mages from the Arcana Pansophical to help research as well. We think there might be some kind of ritual to destroy it."

"That will take time then?" Essek responded. Time, they didn't have.

"Yes, it will. We're also looking into ties Halas might have had with Torog since Gannox was tortured by him, or if he was just a mage interested in pushing the boundaries between the planes and stumbled across things meant to be hidden away."

Beau looked like she was going to reply but Yussa interrupted. His gaze critical and calculating on Essek.

"You are a mage with the Dynasty, yes?" He asked.

Essek answered with a nod.

Yussa folded his arms across his chest contemplating something. Essek waited him out, not sure what the wizard wanted.

"Follow me," Yussa commanded standing up from his seat.

The rest of the group looked up from discussing the scrolls and watched the two elves. Essek caught Caleb's eye, but he did not seem on guard with Essek being singled out, so Essek followed the elder wizard with less hesitation than he would usually allow for such situations.

He was led up the stairs and to the chamber they had teleported into to get here.

"Here." He motioned to the sigil on the floor. "Should you need to return here."

Essek looked over the etching with better attention than the first time they had passed through. After gleaning the proper arcane markings, he turned to leave but Yussa stood there blocking the stairs back down.

A tense feeling coursed through Essek not knowing what could come of this. Even though the elf was far shorter than Essek, his presence and the manner in which he held himself was cause for concern.

"The Mighty Nein seem to have reason to believe you are a potential trustworthy individual," Yussa said, arms still crossed, face held carefully blank. "That trust can be extended but not without its assurances, as I have my concerns about your place in all of this."

"They trust you?" Essek eschewed eyeing Yussa's posture and readied himself to react if need be.

"I can't speak for them," Yussa said in return. "They went into the Folding Halls and got me out without hesitation. It's not called the Archmage's Bane for nothing. I trust them, and I would like to know your intentions with him."

"My intentions?" Essek parroted back caught off guard as to where the conversation was going. He fought to keep his expression neutral. "With the wizard?"

"Don't play a fool, he has great potential as I'm sure you've noticed. You have political leanings if I am to understand correctly?"

"Yes, my position in the Dynasty has its draws, but rest assured, I would not cross this group if that is what you're inquiring, nor would I use them for the gain of the Dynasty alone. They have their skills and I have done my best to let them remain at a distance no matter the demands from those above me."

Yussa didn't shift from his spot blocking the door. An unyielding presence not likely to give way until his questioning was appeased.

"You'll be forced to choose eventually."

"My own Den just threw me in prison with little but the word of another," Essek quickly replied. "This group broke me out without being asked or prompted to. While I… they put themselves at risk for my sake. I would not throw that away so lightly, even for the sake of my own country. If what they say is true, then this is bigger than any petty war or squabble between Dens."

Yussa shoulders dropped their tense line and he looked Essek over one last time. "Good, they're going to need all the help they can get, and he'll be needing more training."

"I can provide some since I already have, against the mandates of the Dynasty," Essek said with a wave of his hand. "One of the many reasons why they put me in that hell hole in the first place."

Yussa nodded and with a sharp turn led Essek back down to the sitting room. Essek could hear the ruckus typical of the boisterous group with Jester's voice well above the rest. The cacophony echoed up the stairs, and he briefly wondered how someone like Yussa, who appeared to be so hermit-like, was handling the Mighty Nein's unique brand of chaotic.

"But Caleb! You're the one he kissed!" The lilt was teasing and assuredly came from a well-meaning place, but Essek couldn't help the tense feeling course through him again for an entirely different reason. "Was it your first kiss?"

"No," Caleb's reply came in halting words and Essek could picture the flush that would accompany being singled out by Jester's teasing. "I can hardly… hold that against a man who was locked alone… in a cell for weeks, Jester."

Yussa looked back over his shoulder in Essek's direction with a raised brow but otherwise blank expression. Essek didn't know what to make of it, so he ignored it and kept his pace behind the elf.

They entered the sitting area and the Mighty Nein abruptly stopped talking. Caleb was as flushed as Essek had imagined. Jester and Nott looked like they couldn't hold back their laughter. Beau and Fjord shared a knowing look not quite meeting everyone else's eyes.

Caduceus, ever observant but equally uninformed, sat between it all and was the one who bridged the awkward moment.

"So, what now? We could take a look at the Heirloom Sphere, but to be quite honest I am tapped for spells, as I'm sure the rest of us are, and not ready to delve into that madness anytime soon."

"Rest it is, then," Fjord agreed. "We'll need a place to stay."

"If you need a temporary place, there are guest quarters here," Yussa offered and then as if realizing what that offer entailed, repeated. "Temporary."

Essek chuckled under his breath. Yussa knew what he was getting into with this group.

"You are welcome to stay as well," Yussa addressed Essek.

"Thank you. It is much appreciated," Essek replied. "I also would like to see this sphere you all keep talking about as well. It'll give me an idea of what I'm getting into as I'm assuming that is the help you require of me."

"Oh, yeah! Here," Beau grabbed the scrolls. "We should probably do this upstairs where the sphere is. Keep everything in one room, you know."

Jester, on the edge of her seat, spoke up, "Or we could go to my mom's, you know. I'm sure she would be happy to meet Essek! And to see us all again. We can come back tomorrow and work on the happy fun ball."

She looked at everyone with a pleading and hopeful expression, clearly wanting everyone to think about the option seriously.

Essek tried to hold the grimace off his face, but he's sure the half-orc caught it.

"Jester, while I'm sure your mom would love to have us, I don't want to impose all of us on the Chateau yet again," Fjord said trying to reason with her. "There are only so many rooms, and those should be reserved for paying customers."

"Yeah, we are a rowdy and tiring bunch," Caleb said. "Though I am sure you and Nott will want to go. You see your mother and she, her husband and son."

"It has been a while since I've seen them," Nott replied. "Even though it's only felt like a few days."

"Nott, do you want to go to my mom's place with me?" Jester asked pleading with the goblin.

"Yes, I do want to go see my family. Caleb can you do that thing. You know, the one that lasts for a long time."

"Eh, I'm quite tapped for spells. I can't right now unless you want to wait for an hour. I could have one by then."

Nott and Jester shared a look.

"If I'm going, I'll want to stay the night," she said to Jester.

"It only lasts eight hours, so you'll want to have your disguise spells prepared for tomorrow."

"Well I'm going to drop these off in the study," Beau said, holding up the scrolls.

"We'll go over some notes on the sphere first, then I'll show you to your rooms," Yussa said addressing the group at large. He started for the stairs and everyone made to follow quickly.

They make their way up past the room they teleported into, winding up the stairs till they came to a landing with several doors. One was open and inside was a worktable. A single light hanging above illuminating a clockwork sphere.

Beau placed the scrolls down on the desk to the side before turning to Essek.

"So, to reiterate, when we were in Zadash we did some research. We learned the Laughing Hand's heart resided on another plane and that's what made him unkillable. We also found information on Obann, but I don't know how much of that is true."

She paused for a moment before unleashing a tirade of information.

"Obann was a servant of Graz'zt a demon lord of the Abyss, was apparently killed Obann not Graz'zt, at least that's what the book said, but probably not and is now serving the Angle of Irons, which kind of reminds me of Tharzidun, since you know, he's the Chained Oblivion and all. Obann and company took a book from the Cobalt Soul that had information on Jourrael and I'm assuming others like them. Jourrael was an assassin of the Spider Queen but also had something to do with Asmodeus. Then there's the Laughing Hand who was a servant of Torog."

"Okay, that's a lot of information. Why didn't you tell me all this earlier? Like, before I took you to the Lotusden?"

"We didn't know who we could trust!" Jester replied.

"Yeah, we haven't had the best track record, and you people are, were, spying on us at the house. So, we didn't feel comfortable sharing all our information there," Beau finished.

"Spying?"

That was news to him, but he wasn't surprised such things were happening. They were defectors from the Empire after all.

"Fjord's the one who noticed it," Nott said with a note of pride.

Fjord looked flustered at being called out.

"Oh yeah, um. There was this thing, you know, floating there, invisible."

"This thing?" Essek replied. "And what did this thing do?"

"Followed us around, kind of like Jester's spell she does to scry on Obann and the Hand, so we figured they were doing that to us and listening in on what we were saying and such. It was there when we got back from the Lotusden and called you over to talk."

Essek rubbed a hand over his chin and grimaced. If the house had been watched while he was there, that means he had been watched. Whoever it was used that to put him in prison, and they would likely do it again.

"Shit, if we have our own who can scry, they'll be able to find me. They will know I'm here, that you all broke me out, and that we're working together."

"You can just stay close to Caleb," Jester answered as if that would solve all their problems. Essek couldn't tell if she was teasing or not.

"Jester, it doesn't work like that," Caleb explained.

"But that's how you dispelled that orb Fjord said was following us around."

"It only works on me and…"

"So, he'd just have to be really close," she said with an exaggerated eyebrow wiggled.

Yussa spoke up from his place at his desk not glancing away from the paperwork in front of him. "While you are here in my tower, you cannot be scryed upon."

A sigh of relief spread through the group. Essek let his shoulders drop.

"Should we tell the Bright Queen what we found?" Jester asked. "That we've been searching for something to help take down these demons?"

"Let me think on it first before you contact her. I'll craft a message to make sure it covers everything."

He was uncertain what the outcome of that conversation would be. Would she even take their word, his word, that he was set up or would she be swayed by those nearest to her? The Dynasty and the Queen would have to wait. He would need solid proof of the setup, of the cult they were following, and of any other monstrosities that could be raised.

His thoughts drifted to the cult the Nein had drawn to his attention to, the one he was having a hard time getting information on. If it had a connection to any of the Betrayer Gods, it would spell a much greater trouble for the world as a whole. Especially since they are the ones responsible for raising several of these unkillable monstrosities.

"If this new cult you've brought to my attention is in any way connected to Tharzidun," Essek replied addressing the Mighty Nein. "It would explain why there has been some difficulty in finding information on and infiltrating their cult. The imagery of an angel in irons could be something of a draw for him and keep his followers in the dark about his true intentions."

"Hmm, but if what you all say is true," Yussa said motioning to the Mighty Nein as the conversation moved to more pertinent information. "The Abyssal rifts would infer a different ruler, and I have no clue how those things connect to Tharzidun or Lolth or even Torog. Maybe the cambion was just looking for servants or maybe it is part of a more sinister plan. We don't have enough information to go on."

"It is all rather perplexing." Essek looked down at the sphere on the worktable. The clockwork was intricate, but he was hesitant to reach out and inspect it closer. "So, what is it you want from me in all this?"

Caleb walked forward with the map in hand and placed it on the worktable. Essek looked over his shoulder at the layout.

A large branching lay line bisected the map. What he assumed to be rooms were dotted along the way and looked like they were all connected to the central lay line in some fashion.

"We're still looking through Halas' notes to figure out a counter to the seal he placed around the Permaheart." Caleb pointed to the chamber and study on the map. "It is easy to let too much time pass here on this plane while we figure out how to get to the heart. I have a feeling destroying it will be relatively easy once the seal is lifted."

"So, you want me to see if I can alter times passing?"

"Is it possible?"

"Yes, though I'll need my spell components," Essek said with a deep sigh. "And some time studying the plane itself. I'll add that to the list the Queen needs to know."

He studied the map for a moment longer before Yussa came over to the table.

"Since there's not much we can do today," he said. "I say we continue this conversation tomorrow. I can show you to your rooms."

"Yeah, I want to get to my mom's." Jester hopped up from where she was lounging and listening to the conversation. "Caleb, has your spell returned?"

"Oh, yeah. Here." He quickly traced out the sigils and spoke a few arcane words turning Nott and Jester into usual disguises.

Essek looked them over and wondered if non-human folk were allowed to travel around this place. "Are Tieflings and the like not usually allowed to walk freely?"

"We are. It's just, I kind of pissed off some guy, you know, playing a prank, and if he sees me here, he would kill me."

"Why am I not surprised."

"And Nott's…" she trailed off looking at Nott with concern.

Nott waved her aside before answering, "My son does not know me in this form. We were attacked by goblins while he was quite young. Still is, so I do not want to frighten him when he sees me."

Essek knew that going through consecution meant your body would be different in the next life. The experience was gradual though, with memories coming back over time as the individual aged. From what he gathered all those months ago in the prison, her transformation was probably forced. To have that happen with no preparation for the individual or the family must have been a traumatic experience.

"I am sorry," he said after his momentary pause. "That has to be very difficult for you and your family."

"It is, but we're figuring it out."

The two women said their goodbyes and descended back down to the sitting room. Yussa motioned for the rest of them to follow and he led them further up the winding stair to the next landing. It held a long hall with multiple doors on either side.

"All the rooms are the same, so there's no need to fight over them. At the end is a washroom and a sitting room. If you need anything call for Wensforth and he will see to you," Yussa said with a wave and then departing leaving the group to decide their arrangements for themselves.

Essek waited while they pick the first few rooms clustered together. Once he was sure they were set, he chose a room several doors away hoping the distance would buffer their rowdy shenanigans.

"So tomorrow," Beau said from the entrance of the room she selected. Across from her, the half-orc stood with his arms crossed listening to what she had to say. "We should probably wait till Jester and Nott get back."

"I agree," Caleb replied. "If we are done here, I am going to retire for the evening."

He bid everyone goodnight and nodded to Essek before closing the door behind him. Essek parted from the group bypassed his room and made his way to the washroom.

A good soak, that's what he needed, and time to process his thoughts.

A large bath area took up the center of the room. There was seating to the side where one could rinse instead of soak, but Essek went over to the bath where faint wisps of steam rose off the surface of the water, calm and inviting, perfect for thinking about what needed to be done next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rating will be going up next chapter because Hot Boi has no chill.


	3. Forgotten Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hot boi has no chill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween! Here's something to keep you busy while we wait for the new episode tonight. Also, the rating is going up.

Essek paced his room. The warm water of his bath had relaxed his muscles from his prolonged stay in a prison cell, awakened his mind, and refreshed his spirit, but now that he was out, the re-energizing bath had his thoughts running wild.

He knew he wouldn't be able to get his hands on that sphere until the next day. No sense in pushing his luck, but that didn't stop his mind from bouncing questions about its nature and contents around in his head.

If Halas was a wizard who could manipulate planes and time so easily, how did he obtain knowledge like that? There must be similarities to the beacon's properties, and if so, when did he come across such things?

_If they were connected in some way, I might be able to control a portion of the time dilation between the planes._

If he could just get some information, then maybe his thoughts would simmer down and he could get some rest before delving into the mysteries the sphere held.

_Caleb_.

Caleb would know. He had been in the sphere himself. He could answer a few of his questions. It would be nothing at all, just sharing information. His feet swept him out of his room and to Caleb's door as if no time had passed at all.

He briefly wondered if it would be considered untoward if he visited so late in the evening, but he thought of the company the Mighty Nein usually were and pushed that idea from his mind.

Caleb wouldn't turn him away, surely. If he did, he would at least appease Essek's interruption for a moment before letting him go.

He knocked.

"Er, just a moment!"

Essek thought nothing of Caleb's muffled response, so when the door opened, the questions he had been ruminating over for the past half hour came to a screeching halt.

Caleb had been getting ready to retire for the evening. His coat nowhere to be seen leaving the man in a worn white undershirt.

Essek's eyes were drawn to where the lacing was undone at his neckline. He could see red curly hair beneath the loose-fitting shirt. Essek felt a desire come over him to reach out and touch. He had never come across hair like that on someone before but knew that if he appeased his impulse would be going well past any polite boundaries they kept with each other.

Pushing the thought aside, he looked back up to Caleb's face trying not to seem like he was just ogling the man in his bedclothes. He didn't appear put out by the fact Essek had shown up so late, though he did seem mildly pleased if the knowing smirk had anything to do with it.

"I was wondering if you had a moment?" Essek asked with a rush hoping that his intrusion would be met with understanding. "I had some questions about the sphere, and my brain is refusing to turn off if I don't get the answer, or at least the semblance of one."

He gave Caleb a friendly smile in assurance all the while doubting if the man would be inclined to appease his whims even just a little bit.

"Sure," Caleb said with quiet affirmation and stepped back allowing Essek space to enter his room. "I was just getting ready for bed, but I am in no hurry."

Essek expected to be met with reluctant acceptance but was pleased to know Caleb was willing to hear him out.

He swept in past Caleb's welcoming gesture taking a moment to observe the room. The bedsheets were pulled back to one side. The nightstand held Caleb's book holster where one book was wedged open, writing utensil holding his place. His familiar sat next to it, eyes unblinking, watching Essek.

Hearing the click of the door behind him, Essek turned to face Caleb, ready to ask the questions he knew were on the tip of his tongue, only to find the man a lot closer than he assumed.

Words were coming from Caleb's mouth, but Essek's eyes were drawn to the shape of his red lips. His ears not perceiving the sound coming from them. A shadow of stubble drew his gaze further down to the edge of the man's jaw and to the milky expanse of neck beneath it. It would, without a doubt, be easy to leave a mark there.

Essek was having a hard time remembering what questions he had. The ones his brain had been refusing to let go just moments ago.

_Fuck it_.

Essek took a step forward. Caleb wouldn't have let him in if he wasn't a little bit interested, right? That's what they had been doing the whole time in Xhorhas, flirting the edge, toeing the line, not making a move due to whatever political standing and trust issues they had between them.

A prison break changed that dynamic. Fleeing his country changed that. At least, in Essek's mind, it had.

The stubble was prickly against his skin, but his lips were soft against his own. He could feel Caleb's hum deep in his chest, but he didn't pull away from Essek's brazen action.

Caleb pushed forward deepening the kiss. One hand pulled at Essek's elbow, the other falling to his waist gripping his shirt tightly.

Desperate was something Essek had never felt in a physical relationship, but this quickly turned to what he imagined that desire would feel like.

Their kissing became frantic, hands roaming looking for purchase.

Caleb took several steps forward pushing Essek back, all the while keeping their mouths attached. Essek's knees hit what he assumed was the bed and let himself fall back, Caleb going right over with him, mouth not detaching for but a moment.

They pulled at each other's clothes, untucking shirts, unbuckling belts, unbuttoning pants, till they could get their hands on each other.

Essek groaned at the warm touch. Mind not with it enough to keep up with Caleb's mouth, he dropped his head back against the bed. Caleb kept going, lips sucking down under his jaw to his neck, at the same time, struggled to fist the both of them together, probably from his divided attention.

Essek knocked Caleb's hands away and grabbed them both, giving a few short tugs. Caleb's moved his forearms to frame Essek's head. He moaned in his ear before giving a few thrusts. The heat from his rapid breathing warmed Essek's cheek.

He usually never found himself under someone like this, but it was captivating to watch Caleb's full-bodied flush from this angle. The contrast in their skin bringing more attention to how strong the blush was.

They only lasted a few more strenuous heady moments, before Essek could feel it all come to a tipping point. Caleb became more uncoordinated, Essek in his own right frantic. Then, it was over, and Caleb rolled off him with an ungraceful flop.

Trousers still caught on his thighs, the sweat cooled slowly, and Essek didn't feel like moving while he got his breathing under control. A long moment passed before he dared to glance at Caleb next to him.

He had his eyes closed, his right arm supporting his head, his left resting on the curly hair of his chest. Essek could tell he was trying to regulate his breathing still, and he wondered if this was a moment where he could explore that hair without it coming across strange.

He cleared his throat.

"I swear I only came to ask a few questions about the sphere," Essek said with a hoarse voice he was not accustomed to. He tried clearing his throat again.

Caleb hummed, opened his eyes, and turned his head to look at Essek, or maybe it was more like observing, cataloging. His studious expression masked the intent behind the long moment of contemplation making it hard to discern.

"I didn't mind, clearly," Caleb replied accent strong muddling his words. His gaze trailed over Essek's features catching where there were sure to be marks of his making.

Essek grinned at his response and tried to roll to face Caleb, but the constricting of nature of his pants made it difficult. He struggled for a moment kicking his pants the rest of the way off. Once he was free, he turned to face Caleb propping his head on one hand, the other falling to rest on the bed between them.

He tried to mimic Caleb's relaxed disposition but didn't know how well he was actually portraying that so Essek closed his eyes to rest, to just breath.

"You can still ask your questions," he offered after the quiet moment stretched too long.

"I've forgotten them," Essek replied opening his eyes to study Caleb's face again. The smirk that broke across revealed just how pleased the man was of that feat.

"Don't look so smug about it," Essek said with a glower

"Can't help myself."

Caleb reached out with the hand that was on his chest and let it settle over Essek's on the bed. His long fingers traced Essek's hand, running over the edge of his knuckles.

"It's been a long while since I've er… been with anyone," Caleb started not meeting his eye.

"The same goes for me," Essek replied smoothly. He flipped his hand over so that his palm was facing Caleb's wandering fingers. He began to trace lightly over the palm and down to the pads of Essek's fingertips.

Caleb paused in his exploration finally letting his eyes meet Essek's. They stared at each other, letting their gazes roam, and Essek didn't know if the man was looking for something specific like Essek was.

"I already got a talking to by Yussa," Essek supplied figuring now was as good of a time as any to bring up the confrontation with the elder wizard.

"Yussa?" Caleb looked perplexed. "Really? I would at least expect it from Nott or maybe even Beau, but we haven't really had the time for them to say anything."

Essek contemplated that thought before clarifying, "I think it's more he wants to keep you out of politics than us doing what we just did."

"I want to keep me out of politics, but to accomplish the things I wish, it sometimes seems there is no other path to take."

Essek knew what being in that position was like. It was one of the many reasons he rose through the ranks so quickly, but for Caleb, he wished the man would never have to tie himself to an allegiance so binding.

"And what is it you want to accomplish?"

"I've said it before. I want to take those in the Empire who've twisted magic into something so…"

"Sinister."

"Yes, sinister that's a good determiner. I want it gone, all of it, all of them."

Power. The sad answer to most situations. Control. The undoing of many a strong nation. Better men have fallen to less.

"Politics can be sticky."

"We're sticky now," Caleb complained.

Essek couldn't contain the unflattering snort. Caleb hummed in agreement.

"That's certainly one way to put it."

Essek pushed off the elbow he was resting on and rolled on top of Caleb, letting his weight rest fully down on him.

"But know, I am not seeking to gain anything from you or your group. Not anymore."

He braced his arms around his head much like Caleb had done to him earlier and ran his fingers through the red hair before he gripped tight. He pulled Caleb's head back allowing himself better access to his neck.

"You are so special, Caleb," he whispered into the juncture. "You may not know it, or you may not believe it, but you are. We all can tell, this whole group, your friends. Those in the Dynasty, even if they don't want to admit it, and I'm sure those in the Empire knew, but took advantage of a young child and tossed it away as they do with so many others."

Caleb squirmed under his weight till he was able to pull his arms loose but not to push him off. Essek could feel the flutter of fingers across his back and the tingling rush of goosebumps in their wake.

Essek mouthed at his neck following the bob of his throat down to his collar bone when Caleb let out a breathy moan. He slowed to a stop and looked back in Caleb's eyes.

He didn't look away.

"You're in a unique position," Essek said after a moment.

"Yeah, under you."

Caleb nipped at his chin. Essek chuckled but ignored the quip, a deflection at best, and the kissing, a distraction at worst.

"For the most part, you and your own have stayed on the edge, away from those who could, would use you. Wars are useless to folks like you."

"We've been lucky. A bit of dumb luck at that. It's going to get us into trouble," Caleb said throatily while he pulled away from Essek's neck where he had been mouthing at.

"Eh, well you've gotten out of trouble before, no?"

"Are you going to continue? Or are you going to keep talking, because as much as I like hearing about my virtues, I found your other-"

Essek shut him up with a searing kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments and kudos are much appreciated!


	4. A Night of Reflection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Essek contemplates things, reads over Halas' notes, and does nothing to ease Caleb's embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter because I split it in two since I haven't finished the second half. It's been several weeks since I posted last and I miss hot boi both in game and out.

Caleb fell asleep in the quiet moment after their strenuous activities. Even with the quiet Essek knew his body would not be needing rest anytime soon.

He could take his time reading over Halas' notes, but the bed was warm, and he was not wont to leave it. Instead, he allowed himself a moment to observe Caleb, starting from the hard edge of his brow, which was smoothed from sleep to the methodical rise and fall of his chest.

Letting his hands wander, Essek fanned his fingers out over the hair that had taken all his coherent thought away and spurred him towards something else entirely. The contrast against his skin was enticing, and he took the time to contemplate everything that just happened.

There would have to be a more involved conversation between them before they went any further that much Essek was sure of. He just had to parse what he wanted out of this relationship and make sure Caleb understood he wasn't using him for the Dynasty's purposes.

He soon began to feel an itch under his skin from sitting idle, so Essek made to leave the bed and get the notes, but as he went to climb over Caleb, the books on the nightstand caught his attention.

One book was Caleb's spellbook. Essek had seen it several times when he imparted spell structures during their impromptu training sessions. The other book was one he only caught glimpses of from its place tucked in the slot of his book holster.

The thought was tempting and Essek couldn't help himself. He would have several hours while Caleb slept. He made to reach for it and then realized Caleb's familiar watching his every move.

"Oh, you're not going to turn me in if I touch this, now will you?" He eyed the cat warily. "I mean no harm, honestly. Just a general curiosity. I'm sure he would do to my books if he had the chance."

The cat blinked slow. The rest of its body was unmoving, sitting like a statue on the edge of the nightstand.

Essek reached forward arm going past the books to the cat's head. He gave it a scratch, hoping to mollify the creature in some way that would allow him to peruse the books in peace.

The cat pushed up into his hand, head angled for more access, back arched, and tail flicking at the tip.

He scratched behind its ears, enjoying the soft fur under his fingertips. The familiar let out a soft meow and then leaped down onto the bed settling in next to Caleb's side.

"Are you going to let me off the hook then?" He asked while reaching for Caleb's books. The familiar made no move, and so he grabbed the book and settled back into his place beside Caleb.

When he opened the book, he was caught by surprise. After years spent studying Zemnian, a naturally harsh and angular language, this script was something he had ever seen before. The large flowing scrawl was elegant and precise and took him longer than he would like to admit finding a discernible pattern.

If Caleb was writing the journal in a different language, then its contents were probably more personal, not just spells and the like. Essek hadn't prepared his spell to comprehend languages even though he wanted to know what information those pages held. He could ask but asking would mean owning up to looking at this journal, something that could very well be personal, behind Caleb's back.

A betrayal of a trust that was already so weak, in fact, just forming.

Essek put the book back in its place on the nightstand. He would have to be more tactful about approaching the subject of the journal, maybe even a little vulnerability from his end.

_No, I shouldn't expect anything in return._

Sighing, he rolled out of bed. He would have to make do with just Halas' notes as something to keep him preoccupied until he needed to enter his trance.

He made a space for himself on the small table near the foot of the bed and got to work translating the archaic Zemnian. Knowledge of the language structure helped his progress, but there were a few forms that Essek struggled to place. Without his spell to comprehend languages, translating took time.

A bulk of the notes covered Halas' obsession with his clones until there was a change where the mage had found the Laughing Hand's heart. From there, lists of his experiments involving portions of the Hand's heart were detailed all culminating in a ritual chamber.

Essek struggled to translate a few words, trying to piece together where this chamber could be, but he couldn't place it. He would have to ask Caleb in the morning.

Hours must have passed since he started translating because he felt a wariness overcome him. He organized the notes and then joined Caleb in bed again.

Essek let the trance take over. The room fading from his immediate consciousness, his mind settled into long-forgotten memories.

* * *

Heavy pounding on Caleb's door snapped Essek out of his trance. He rolled over and watched as Caleb stirred and garbled out for them to wait a moment while he ran a hand over his face to rub the sleep from his eyes.

Essek followed the movement but stopped when he caught sight of a large bruising spot just below his collar bone. It wouldn't be noticeable if covered properly. He didn't know whether or not to count that as a blessing.

"Caleb!" Beau shouted through the closed door. "Caleb, get up."

A harsh-sounding curse left his mouth as he rolled out of the bed and stumbled around trying to find his clothes from the night before. He stepped into his trousers and shot a glare in Essek's direction.

Essek shrugged in return as Caleb pulled on his loose-fitting undershirt.

The pounding at the door continued, and Caleb quickly strode across the room and pulled it open in a rush. He stopped the door from swinging all the way in with the edge of his foot. Doing so blocked the sightline to the bed and Essek in it, but Essek knew she was observant. She would pick up on the motion and come to certain conclusions without much assistance.

"What?" Caleb asked curtly.

"Oh," Beau remarked flatly. "Well, that explains things."

Essek could only guess what Beau's reaction was and figured she'd spotted the bruise which bloomed across Caleb's collar bone. It was that or the messy loose hair he usually had pulled back in a ponytail.

"What?" Caleb asked again pulling at the laces on his shirt, tightening the collar, until it covered him better.

_Ah, so she noticed the mark under his collar bone._

"It's just… not what I expected to see."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I mean… I just."

"Beauregard, spit it out."

"Yeah, well, this is awkward," she said with a clipped tone. "Foods down in the sitting area if you're hungry. Tell Essek too."

Caleb's back stiffened.

"Why me? You're the one knocking on doors."

Essek snorted to himself. Caleb was terrible at deflecting sometimes.

"He didn't answer so I figured he wasn't in his room," she trailed off awkwardly. "And since you answered like that…"

"Maybe he was just ignoring you," Caleb said, letting his head rest against the door frame with a sigh.

"I don't think that's the case."

Caleb didn't answer and an awkward pause stretched between them.

"Anyway," she continued, "thoughts still the same. Foods on the table. Get it when you're ready. Jester and Nott showed up thirty minutes ago, so wait any longer and they'll be by to pester you themselves and wonder where Essek is."

She must have left quickly after her tirade because Caleb shouted a quick thank you before snapping the door closed.

Essek smiled at him as he shuffled across the room with a few quick steps and flopped back down on the bed.

"She certainly has a charming disposition this morning."

"Don't even," Caleb said with hands over his face muffling his voice. "You could have told me something was there. She wouldn't have found out."

"I highly doubt that. She's quite observant, quick at putting things together."

Caleb grumbled and climbed out of bed again. He straightened his undershirt in the small mirror and then examined his face and the overnight growth of stubble. He pulled out a thin blade and a lather and got to work shaving away the short hairs.

"Will she tell the others?" Essek asked. He took silent pleasure in watching Caleb put himself back together.

"No," Caleb replied carefully as to not to nick his skin while conversing. "But that won't stop her from making underhanded comments about it."

He swiped the blade across his cheek with practiced ease that was unfamiliar to Essek.

"And if the rest pick up on those?"

"Er." Caleb's hand froze under the corner of his chin, his eyes wide.

"We haven't really talked about it other than in the moment," Essek continued. "And passion tends to override thought in those situations."

"And you want to talk right now?" Caleb motioned to his shaving blade and lathered skin.

"Not necessarily, but I figured the rest would, er, be nosy and ask questions. Better to know the answers, yes?"

Caleb fell silent as he finished shaving the corner of his jaw. He ran his hand over the smooth skin and putting the blade down.

"Yeah, sorry, I just…" Caleb said, looking around the room to avoid eye contact. His gaze landed on the mess of clothes spread across the floor and he stared at them with such an intensity that the answer he was looking for could be found from their strewn positioning like a fortune teller's tea leaves.

"I do want to talk. I just need to get my thoughts in order," Caleb said finally. "Not that I didn't want this, clearly. It all just happened really fast."

"I understand. I'll wait," Essek said, rolling out of the bed. He noticed Caleb's eyes following the edge of the sheet as it pulled away leaving Essek nude. He smirked and started to gather his clothes from the mess on the floor.

"Till later, then," he said with a glance over his shoulder in Caleb's direction. Essek noted the flush on his cheeks and the darkening in his eyes but ignored it, and put his clothes back on under Caleb's heated gaze. Shirt pulled overhead, pants hoisted up, and belt looped through, Essek made quick work putting himself back together.

"You're incorrigible," came the throaty reply.

Essek tightened the belt with a smirk in Caleb's direction.

"I do try."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter should be out quick???? Hopefully???? Maybe????


	5. A Breakfast of Champions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which breakfast is eaten and plans are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should I take the time to thoroughly edit? Yes  
Am I playing stardew valley instead? Yes
> 
> If you notice mistakes, sorry. If I've forgotten to remove the little notes I leave myself when writing, double sorry. I think I got them all, but who knows at this point.

Breakfast was sure to be a noisy affair, so Essek grabbed Halas' notes to bring with him and keep him out of most inquiring conversations. He could probably entreat Caleb's advice on a few words he missed translating, hopefully clearing up confusing portions of text.

Noisy chatter echoed down the hall to greet them as they left Caleb's room. Next to him, Caleb breathed in deep and then let it out slowly. Essek could only wonder what was going through the man's head.

"Do you want me to handle it?"

"No, it's fine. I'm just preparing myself for their, er, chaos."

Essek hummed in agreement as to not draw too much attention to himself and Caleb when they entered the sitting room. The table was crowded but the group left two seats next to each other open.

"Caleb. Essek. Good morning!" Jester greeted as they got closer to the table.

The rest of the Mighty Nein were already seated and eating their way through various meats and a strange assortment of vegetables. Essek took his place at the end, leaving the last open seat next to Nott.

"You guys look rested. Did you sleep well?" Jester asked, glancing between the two wizards.

From beside her, Beau mumbled something in return that had several in group letting out awkward laughs while averting each other's gazes. Essek hadn't caught what she said, but he figured it was an innuendo about him and Caleb entirely based off the deep red blush filling Caleb's cheeks.

Essek could feel the heat rise around his ears as well but was thankful the darker shade of purple would not be as noticeable compared to Caleb's flush. He smirked, watching Caleb busy himself gathering food in an attempt to ignore everyone's stares.

They were an astute group and Essek expected nothing less from them, but when he looked away from Caleb, he caught Nott's shrewd eye. Essek anticipated an intense scowl with a warning about crossing Caleb and potentially the group. Instead, he got a toothy grin.

The gleam in her eye put him on guard for an entirely different reason. If memory served him, she tended to push Caleb into situations when he wasn't quite comfortable with them. She was an instigator, and Essek wondered if she was like several of the elder Den matriarchs who fancied themselves matchmakers, constantly manipulating conversations, conveniently setting up happenstance meetings.

Her pushing for assistance in understanding something magical, the moment caught in his mind and the paper he had dispelled. He would have to watch her; he didn't need extra meddling on Caleb's behalf. Better to talk to the wizard himself than let someone else do it.

Hoping to deflect talk about him and Caleb, Essek pulled Halas' notes out. If he could hedge that conversation off, he might be able to lead the group into talking about their upcoming task, a far more important prospect at the moment.

"Are you not going to eat?" Jester asked, watching him sort through several of the loose pages.

"Eating is such a frivolous task sometimes, is it not?" Essek replied, now realizing he had not touched the food laid out before him.

"But, it's like… important you don't collapse on us Essek." Jester pouted. She had an assortment of brightly colored pastries on her plate and she looked about to offer the heavy sweets to him.

"Well," He hedged her off, eyeing the decorative pastries warily. "After being held captive for an extended period, my appetite for heavy foods has seemed to have left me." Essek turned to Caleb. "Do you have any more of those beads?"

Caleb looked up from his plate for the first time since sitting down. Most of the color had faded from his cheeks, but the brightness behind his eyes still shown.

"Yeah, but those are for an emergency when there is no food to be had, not just because eating takes time," Caleb teased, "You don't have to eat the pastries just because Jester pressures you to."

"Shame." Essek went back to the notes before him. Caleb leaned in close to look over his shoulder.

"Did you read over those last night?"

"Hmm, oh yes, I did," Essek replied, heart rate picking up at his closeness. If he tried hard enough, he could inhale Caleb's pleasant scent, but the act would probably be noticeable.

Essek rifled through the notes, trying to distract himself from doing something he might come to regret at the table in front of everyone.

"There were a few points of translation that I got stuck on and since I didn't have a spell prepared to read them thoroughly, I thought you might be able to clear up a few terms."

While the group kept eating, Essek started reading the passage to Caleb. He stumbled over archaic Zemnian, but Caleb dutifully assisted him when he got stuck on certain words.

"Here, I don't recognize this phrase, but it comes up in Halas' notes about a ritual chamber where he can perform his final experiment. I don't understand what he was trying to say. A place where 'nothing with great fear' is? Am I not understanding that correctly?"

Caleb leaned forward, bracing an arm over the back of Essek's chair, and read over where Essek pointed out.

"Oh, dreadnaught?" His voice, rich in Essek's ear, sent a shiver down his spine.

"The dreadnaught?" Beau asked. Her attention drawn from the bacon she was stowing away to what Caleb and Essek were translating. Next to her, Fjord abruptly stopped eating, his piece of bread dangling from slack hands and a look of fear settling over his features.

"Yes, is that what it translates to? I'm not sure what it means."

Caleb let out a deep sigh and ran a hand over his chin. He looked deep in thought, and Essek couldn't resist following the movement.

"If the chamber is inside…" Caleb started.

"Nope!" Fjord exclaimed, arms cutting across in a defensive manner. "No, did you see the size of that thing's teeth? They are the size of Nott. I am not going in there."

"Teeth?" Essek asked.

"Halas has his experiment chamber attached to the Astral Sea. He somehow chained an Astral Dreadnaught to the doorway connecting the two planes. It's fucking huge."

"Right, why is nothing ever an easy jaunt with you all?" Essek asked, letting out a deep sigh. "Astral Dreadnaught. We can add that to the list of things I never want to see in person."

"It is a sight to behold," Nott said, earnestly.

"Quite terrifying actually," Caduceus replied to her.

The group fell silent except for the sounds of breakfast. Essek put the notes aside figuring now was the time to eat.

"If the notes are genuine," Caleb ruminated to the group. "Then I would suspect something happened with his final experiment."

"If he was tinkering with soul transference, there is a likelihood this jar he used was not up to the task," Essek replied in turn. "Creating such a jar is very difficult. If someone wanted to, say, dispose of him easily, trapping his soul would be the optimal option. Less hands-on with a powerful mage."

"That means he could very well still be inside the dreadnaught," Caleb concurred.

"I say we not go in," Essek said. The group looked crestfallen, so he clarified, "At least not until we have a better understanding of what we'll be getting into. Besides, we need to deal with the Hand's heart first, that should be the priority."

"That's fair," Beau said, and the group left the topic alone.

Once they finished eating, the Mighty Nein and Essek made their way to Yussa's study where the sphere was being held. Yussa was already there, hunched over a set of notes with spell components scattered around him. He glanced up briefly as the group entered and then went back to his plans.

Essek walked up to the worktable where the sphere rested and rested his arms against the table's edge. He leaned in close, inspecting the sphere without touching.

The device was disorienting small compared to what he knew was housed inside.

"I thought you said you didn't like adventuring, Essek?" Jester remarked from the other side of the worktable. He looked at her with a smirk.

"I could make some exceptions; it's not every day you get to come across the physical manifestation one of the greatest arcane minds." Essek looked back down at the sphere. "The intricacies involved in making a planer device such as this is incredible."

Jester leaned against the workstation, and his eyes caught the flash of pink from her haversack.

"It is easy to create an extra-dimensional space. Take your haversack, for instance, the small plane is bound to the interior of the bag. You open the top and in the same sense, the top of the plane opens. Easy enough to do."

"This, however," he motioned to the sphere. "This is a lot more involved. There are many moving parts that are floating connected by threads and in a sense, tethering those threads to existence, woven into what creates the Folding Halls."

Essek reached down to inspect the Heirloom Sphere closely. The dark charcoal of his skin contrasting with the shiny gold metal. The contrast brought forth the memories of the night before in Caleb's room. His hands roaming over Caleb's body. The solid line of his throat. The coarseness of his hair.

He cleared his throat and brought his attention to the sphere in his hands and not the man standing idly by the workstation unaware of Essek's thoughts.

Winding gears clicked together seemingly without direction till he spotted a pattern, knowing that if he pulled a few gears he and those nearby would be whisked away to another plane.

"That and the time manipulation he played with is very dangerous and fascinating," Essek continued explaining to Jester. "If he was able, he probably wanted to get his hand on one of our beacons."

Caleb came to stand by his shoulder. The warmth inviting but crease in his brow concerning.

"I don't doubt that he tried," Caleb said, wearily watching Essek inspect the sphere. "He's probably one of the mages that has your Queen so ready to destroy the lot of us. And I can see why he was or is brutal. His experimentations alone were pretty gruesome."

"Still as much as I hate to say it, I would like to explore some of it for myself," Essek replied with a smirk in Caleb's direction

"There are things in there designed to shackle even the best wizards," Caleb warned. "If you are hesitant to travel with us on our usual adventures, this one is much more precarious."

"Yeah, Caleb had that collar thing forced on him," Nott spoke up from where she was tinkering with several crossbow bolts. "It took his voice away, not letting him talk or cast at all. Yussa even got trapped in that one. It took some time picking the lock on it."

"It's very dangerous for spellcasters. Especially for those of us whose spells use verbal components," Yussa spoke up. "It's not to be trifled with lightly."

"Didn't you keep one, Caleb?" Jester asked.

Caleb shifted uncomfortably frowned in her direction before softly replying, "Err, yeah. I did."

"Why would you want to keep it, Caleb? I didn't know you were into those types of things," she teased with a leer.

Essek fought to hide a smirk.

"I'm not even going to comment on that," Caleb said shaking his head in disbelief. "And I find it interesting. It could be useful in the future."

A look of discomfort overcame Jester's features.

"I would hope you would never want to do that to someone else. I was shackled, and it wasn't fun, Caleb."

"Well, I am not as good as you are," Caleb softly replied with a tight smile.

Essek thought back to their brief conversation the prior night. If what Caleb was alluding to, he already was working on a plan to do something about dismantling the Assembly.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with your past mentors?" He couldn't stop himself from asking.

Caleb stiffened next to him but held his eye contact. He did not answer.

"Oh." Jester's soft realization hung in the air before covered her mouth with a hand, eyes wide with guilt.

"You want to take his voice away," Caduceus reasoned.

"Yes."

"Whose voice?" Yussa asked.

There was an uncomfortable pause while the group watched Caleb. Essek watched as he struggled to keep his breathing under control.

"An evil man," Nott replied for him, "who hurt many people. They all have hurt many people, not just Caleb."

The group settled, waiting for Caleb to speak. Yussa steepled his fingers together and ruminated on something Essek could only guess.

The still moment stretched, till Caleb weakly spoke up not looking at anyone.

"Trent." His voice trembled as if speaking the name would inform the man about the tower they resided in. "Trent Ikithon."

The name was familiar to Essek. He was sure he had heard it come up in one of the many meetings in the Lucid Bastion. Though, placing it among the dozens of individuals responsible for the war was another thing.

"He's part of the Cerberus Assembly, yes?" Yussa asked.

Caleb nodded, gripping his forearm tightly, holding himself.

"The Archmage of Civil Influence, if I remember correctly," Yussa pressed.

"And my, er, mentor when I was at the Soltryce Academy," Caleb clarified.

"The Academy? You must have been young."

"Yes."

"What use does the Archmage of Civil Influence have for children?"

"Vollstrecker," Caleb said firmly holding Yussa's gaze. "Among other things."

Yussa looked away, eyes downcast to the notes on his desk. "Experiments?"

"Yes."

"Not all the mages on the Assembly are like that…"

Caleb cut him off with a harsh curse, "But if they knew or know now, then they are no better for turning a blind eye. The very same in my book."

The fierce demeanor Caleb held brokered no further argument from Yussa. Yussa looked agitated with what Caleb was implying. Everyone quietly watched Yussa and Caleb watch each other.

The charged atmosphere unfading.

Essek pulled gently at Caleb's elbow to get his attention. His head sharply turned; eyes locked to where Essek's hand rested. Essek let go and quietly said, "Not all mages want those things or do those things."

"I know."

The sphere ticked loudly in the silence that followed. Essek drew his gaze away from Caleb. The tense feeling not dissipating.

"Well, I want to get in this sphere, but I'll need my components," Essek announced to the room. He hoped focusing on the sphere would help clear the air. "I wrote out a message for the Bright Queen last night. If you would, message her for me?"

He held out a paper with a note he scribed the night before to Jester. She looked it over and with a sly smile asked, "Does this count as one of our favors to you?"

He laughed. "I think all those favors were used up when you broke me out of the dungeon."

"So, this is as friends?" Jester asked, smile turning bright.

"Sure, if you want to put it that way."

"Okie, man, your note is going to sound totally weird coming from me. I'm going to make some adjustments."

"Ah, no-" Essek tried to cut her off but she had already started casting the spell.

"Hey, it's Jester."

Eyes wide, she looked to Fjord in a panic. Fjord jumped beside her, hands counting down the number of words she had left.

"Essek was set up," she continued slowly, watching each finger count down her remaining words. "We found the Hand's heart in Halas' Folding Halls… We need his help traveling between planes. He needs…" With one finger remaining, she petered out. "Components."

"Well, it could have gone worse," Fjord offered, quietly hands falling to his side.

Essek rubbed his forehead and sighed. It was just as chaotic watching her deliver a message as it was receiving one.

A concentrated look came over Jester's features and they waited for the response.

"I think she's heard of Halas before," Jester told the group, "because she sounded like she knew him. Also, the teleportation circle will be free at noon. Should we trust her?" Jester wrung her hands with worry.

"What's the worst that could happen? They put us in the dungeon. We can just, you know, break out," Fjord said.

"I think they would execute us on the spot," Essek replied, "since you all already broke out once. But, I need my components, and she is my Queen. She'll most likely be meeting us at the circle alone."

"She would meet with us alone?" Caduceus asked, doubt lacing his tone. "That seems risky."

"It should just be us, so I don't think we have anything to worry about," Essek affirmed. He knew what the Bright Queen was willing to do when keeping a low profile. "As it is, she can take care of herself. I don't think she would be too worried about us getting the jump on her." Essek turned and addressed Caleb. "I can get us there if you can bring us back. I don't want to be using all my high-level spells just to travel."

He gave a cursory glance to the group. Jester and Fjord sheepishly looked away, but Beau kept her smug sneer.

"Yeah, that makes sense. Should we all go?" Caleb asked.

"Yes, I'm not letting you guys go alone," Jester exclaimed. "What if something happens? We wouldn't be able to help."

Essek chuckled. This group was certainly something special, "Noon it is then. That means we have some time to gather the rest of what we need for the ritual and plan our path through the Halls."

Yussa spoke up not looking up from the notes he was still pouring through, "If you need space to teleport there is an empty room next to the circle to return. Please use that."

"Thank you," Caleb replied with a bowed head in his direction.

"Well, since we have time, is there a map of the interior?" Essek asked letting his shoulder brush lightly against Caleb's. "You could walk me through a few of the rooms, I should be able to find where to change the time speed from there."

"Yeah, let me get the map."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hot Boi  
Hot Boi  
Hot Boi  
🙏


End file.
